I think it sucks that you're perfect
Stealing lyrics from Ben Platt to whisper lovingly to all of my favorite books
The end of summer always seems to come too quickly. It feels like just a couple of weeks ago that we were getting ready to celebrate July 4th, and now we’ve already blown past Labor Day Weekend. The last month has been filled with visits from friends and family, a glorious trip to the Hamptons where I felt like I was on a Nancy Meyers film set, and a Covid-safe wedding in the middle of a hurricane. I have no idea how September will be able to top August at this point.
(Actually, I take that back - Addison Forbes Montgomery is returning to Grey Sloane Memorial Hospital and Cody Rigsby is going to be on Dancing with the Stars - September stands a chance of not totally sucking.)
But since summer is pretty much over, what is there really to look forward to between now and Thanksgiving? Hot days spent outside on the beach or by the pool with a High Noon and a good book are quickly coming to an end, and I’m not ok with that. And just like I’m not ready for sweater weather or PSL season, I’m not quite ready to transition to my favorite fall genres (psychological thrillers and historical fiction) either. I think I’ll keep my TBR pile stacked with mysteries and romances for a little while longer, thank you very much.
On that note, let’s dive right into some great mysteries and romances: here’s everything I’ve read and loved lately.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
pairing: gin and tonic (bonus points if you can find canned ones)
What’s more fun than a whodunnit? A whodunnit solved by septuagenarian retirees, obviously.
At a luxury retirement village in the British countryside, 4 unlikely friends gather once a week to discuss unsolved murders, each bringing their own unique perspective to the table. Joyce, as a retired nurse, has medical experience and expertise to discuss gruesome injuries. Ibrahim, who still occasionally practices psychiatry, is helpful in profiling killers. Ron, the aging social activist, knows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of the law. And Elizabeth seems to know a lot of unusual ways to get suspects to talk. Naturally, they each have something to add to their weekly chats. When the shady property developer who built their community is killed, the foursome insinuates itself into the investigation, sometimes hindering, but usually helping, the police with their work.
I typically wouldn’t say that murder mysteries bring a smile of pure joy to my face, but this one definitely did. The good guys prevailed and the bad guys got what they deserved. The conclusion was satisfactory, the characters were beyond charming, and best of all, there are more Thursday Murder Club installments in our future. (The Man Who Died Twice will be released later this month.) If you want an entertaining, engrossing, and captivating mystery without the ick-factor of some of the more gory options out there, this is definitely the perfect book for you.
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
pairing: Mr. Bali Hai or any of these uniquely San Diego cocktails
While some people may have read this and decided to give dating apps another try, I wound up deep in a Zillow black hole fantasizing about moving back to San Diego. This story about a gruff scientist and a frazzled single mother is just as much of a love story about the city as it is of two people thrown together by an algorithm and ground-breaking DNA technology.
Jess has no time for romance: between raising her daughter, working as a freelance statistician, and helping her grandparents, the idea of dating seems like an exhausting chore she doesn’t have time for. When her best friend convinces her to try GeneticAlly, a new dating app that uses DNA to predict romantic compatibility, she has no expectations. Her results come back with a rare 98% match with the company’s founder, Dr. River Peña, a man Jess can’t stand. The company offers to pay Jess a hefty fee just to get to know River and at least pretend to like one another - even the outward appearance of such a highly rated successful match can send GeneticAlly’s valuation skyrocketing ahead of their much-anticipated IPO. It doesn’t take long before Jess realizes that there’s a lot more to River than his gruff exterior suggests (I like to imagine Roy Kent, but a scientist, and not British) and maybe getting to spend time with him is worth more than the money in her meager checking account…
Was this novel predictable? Yeah, it’s a Christina Lauren romance, of course it’s going to have a happy ending. Was it also extremely unputdownable? Again, yes. Did I read the entire book in the course of one night? Survey says: Yes. Should you take my advice and read this immediately and then call me for suggestions on things to do/places to stay in San Diego? Abso-fucking-lutely.
pairing: Wölffer Estate rosé
You don’t need a reason to open up a chilled bottle of rosé, particularly in the summertime, but if you’re looking for one, this is it.
The Hollander Family Estates is not only one of the best wineries on Long Island’s North Fork, it was the first one ever established. In the nearly 50 years since their first grapes were planted, it’s become the premier destination for lavish events, bachelorette parties, and classic wines. Behind the scenes, though, the Hollander fortune is on shaky ground, putting the winery at risk. Vivian, the family matriarch, worries that selling her beloved estate will destroy her marriage. Her daughter, Leah, still suffering the blow of being turned away from working in the family business 20 years ago, is frustrated that her father won’t let her help turn things around now (he’s “old school” and doesn’t think women belong in the wine industry - insert major eye roll here). Leah’s daughter, Sadie, seeks an escape from a recent breakup and her writer’s block in the lush vineyard setting. Together, the 3 of them find comfort and support in reviving a “trashy book club” Vivian started years ago, gaining surprising inspiration in the pages of the romance novels they select.
I’ll admit that certain elements of this book frustrated me (see my above reference to Leah’s father, and Sadie’s snooty opinion about romance novels being “low-brow”), but on the whole, I found this to be an extremely enjoyable story that was a perfect late-summer selection. It’s definitely one of those books that should be read in-season rather than waiting until the middle of winter because it truly does need to be savored with a cold glass of crisp rosé while taking in the colors of a gorgeous summer sunset - it’s the only way to do it justice.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
pairing: Champagne or Miller High Life (it is the Champagne of beer, after all), depending on your mood
Parental Advisory: This book contains depictions of alcohol consumption and sexual activity. It is not recommended for all readers. Meaning: my family (including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, distant cousins), anyone related to me by marriage, and my friends’ parents, should not read the following review.
As my BFF and I like to say: BRING ON THE SMUT!
That’s it, that’s my entire review.
JK! This romance novel was inspired by the icon known as Alexis Rose after the author binged the entirety of Schitt’s Creek during the Great Lockdown of 2020. With that in mind, it was Alexis’s image I had in my head while I was reading this. Like Alexis, Piper Bellinger is famous for being famous, with a… skewed sense of reality due to growing up privileged in Los Angeles. Her life was easy, with little to no expectations upon her, until one mistake lands her in jail and all over the tabloids. To teach her a lesson, her stepfather banishes her to the Pacific Northwest where her late biological father owned a bar, held in trust since his death for Piper and her sister, Hannah. Upon arriving, she meets Brendan Taggart, a bearded and surly fishing captain who hates any disruption to his daily routine, particularly disruptions caused by beautiful outsiders.
As expected, sparks fly. Heavy sparks. I’ll just leave it at that because to give away any more would probably end up bordering on inappropriate. Plus, I want you to read it - unless you’re anyone who does not qualify based upon the parental advisory notice at the top of this review. To everyone else: enjoy the smut!
That’s all I’ve got for you this month. As an end-of-summer final hurrah, I threw in a bonus with the 4th book review. I’ll accept your thanks in the form of nice wines and/or Starbucks gift cards. DM me on Instagram for a mailing address.
As a friendly reminder: don’t forget to subscribe, share, and shop local (all titles link back to my local independent bookstore, Main Point Books, but you can find a store near you simply by searching on IndieBound or Bookshop.org). And until next time,
Happy reading,
Sam